Holopainen is mostly famous for being the keyboardist, band leader, founder and main songwriter of symphonic metal band Nightwish. He has also played in the bands Nattvindens Gråt and Darkwoods My Betrothed. His current side projects are the gothic-doom metal band For My Pain... and the band of Timo Rautiainen.
Holopainen has written several songs that have been included into movie soundtracks; Nightwish songs like Nemo and Wish I Had an Angel, as well as his own song While Your Lips Are Still Red, that was written for the Finnish film "Lieksa!" in 2007.
Tuomas' official website: www.tuomas-holopainen.com
The Last Sled
Tuomas Holopainen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yet it isn't the gold that I'm wanting so much as just finding the gold!
It's the great, big, broad land 'way up yonder!
It's the forests where silence has lease!
It's the beauty that fills me with wonder!
It's the stillness that fills me with peace!"
- Robert W. Service
Haunting him as of old
Yet, it ain't the gold itself, so much as finding the gold
Farewell, White Agony Creek
Farewell, the three long years
Can't leave behind what's in this sled
Things we lost
The things we couldn't share
Another rainbow's end
Another memory
Fortuna favet fortibus
Hold on to all that's dear to you
As the last sled to Dawson finally arrives
The stillness that fills him with peace
The beauty of the wild
Rainbow's end with golden dreams
Starlit sky and coffee & beans
Farewell, White Agony Creek
Farwell, the three spring thaws
One day I will return to you
The lyrics of Tuomas Holopainen's "The Last Sled" can be understood as a longing for adventure and the beauty of nature, away from the stark reality of everyday life. The singer in the song is drawn to the promise of gold in the unexplored wilderness, but it is not the gold itself that he seeks. Instead, he desires the vast lands, the quiet forests, and the beauty that only the natural world can offer. The singer bids farewell to White Agony Creek, where he has spent three years, and laments what he has lost and what he and others could not share. However, he still holds on to the memories and the hope that he will one day return.
The song can be seen as a tribute to the Canadian author and poet Robert W. Service, as the first four lines of the lyrics are a quote from Service's poem "The Spell of the Yukon". Service was known for his poetry and stories set in the Yukon Gold Rush, a time of great exploration and adventure in Canadian history. Similarly, "The Last Sled" is a celebration of the beauty and possibility of the natural world, and the human spirit's desire for adventure and discovery. The song's title could be interpreted as a symbol for the end of an era, as the last sled to Dawson arrives, representing the closing of a chapter in the singer's life.
Line by Line Meaning
The great, broad land 'way up yonder
There is a vast land, far away that interests him
Haunting him as of old
His obsession with this land has remained for a long time
Yet, it ain't the gold itself, so much as finding the gold
The lure of the valuable metal has become secondary to discovering the land
Farewell, White Agony Creek
He bids farewell to a location he left behind
Farewell, the three long years
The time spent away from White Agony Creek was a prolonged period
Can't leave behind what's in this sled
The contents of a sled are too important to abandon
Things we lost
Various possessions that were left behind
The things we couldn't share
The things he had to leave behind, that he couldn't share with others
Another rainbow's end
Another glimpse of a rare sight or an exciting opportunity
Another memory
Another experience he will always remember
Fortuna favet fortibus
Fortune favors the brave
Hold on to all that's dear to you
Remember to hold onto and cherish what you love
As the last sled to Dawson finally arrives
The final sled arrives, signifying the end of an era
The stillness that fills him with peace
The tranquility of nature brings him peace of mind
The beauty of the wild
The untamed natural environment is awe-inspiring
Rainbow's end with golden dreams
A metaphorical representation of the limitless opportunities in life
Starlit sky and coffee & beans
The simple pleasures of life on the trail
Farewell, White Agony Creek
A final goodbye to a beloved location
Farwell, the three spring thaws
Leaving behind the memories of three years' worth of spring thaws
One day I will return to you
He will come back to visit the place he misses
Contributed by Samuel V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@belazsoltfesus7257
The Last Sled There’s gold, and it’s haunting and haunting
It’s luring me on as of old!
Yet it isn’t the gold that I’m wanting so much as just finding the gold!
It’s the great, big, broad land ‘way up yonder!
The great, broad land ‘way up yonder
Haunting him as of old
Yet, it ain’t the gold itself
So much as finding the gold
Farewell, White Agony Creek
Farewell, the three long years
Can’t leave behind what’s in this sled
Things we lost
The things we couldn’t share
Another rainbow’s end
Another memory
Fortuna Favet Fortibus!
Hold on to all that’s dear to you
As the last sled to Dawson finally arrives
It’s the forests where silence has lease
It’s the beauty that fills me with wonder!
It’s the stillness that fills me with peace!
The stillness that fills him with peace
The beauty of the wild
Rainbow’s end with golden dreams
Starlit sky and coffee & beans
Farewell, White Agony Creek
Farewell, the three spring thaws
One day I will return to you
Things we lost
The things we couldn’t share
Another rainbow’s end
Another memory
Fortuna Favet Fortibus!
Hold on to all that’s dear to you
As the last sled to Dawson finally arrives
@whitecat3134
I'm Nightwish Fan from the first day. But without Tuomas Nightwish is just a 'Night' without a 'Wish'. He is so much underrated and deserves more attention on this masterpieces he create. He's the Mozart of our Century.
@user-mz7zr8et3v
Não acho que Tuomas holopainen seja subestimado.
@maxmattt
This man does not write music....
He writes magic.
@fr0zty86
...and feelings, and memories with sound :)
@Sahtoovi
Big flex, my father knows him
@reeilona
This is so beautiful comment that I cryed. It is true.
@laudatosiadastra1218
@@reeilona I´m right there with you Ree. What a beautiful compliment.. and it´s true
@reeilona
@@laudatosiadastra1218 It is, thank you dear Myty <3
@SonOfaBieber
"fortuna favet fortibus". This is latin for fortune favours the brave, and is, according to Don Rosa, what was written on Scrooge mcDucks gravestone when he died in 1967.
Best part in the song for sure!
@kawcam
It's actually also the family motto of the McDuck's; it might have even appeared in one of Barks' stories, though I'm not sure.